Council Tax Cost Cutting: reduce your band and grab any discounts Discussion Area

laferret

laferret wrote: »

Ok, this is the begining of the journey for me.
I've just requested the VOA investigate us being on the wrong band. We are band B currently. We've lived here since 2001 so cross your fingers this goes our way and we get a refund.
First issue: We are very rural, semi-detached and the nearest village in our postcode is over 2 miles away. The nice lady at the VOA said that "2 miles" is the threshold for other similar properties as she merrily did a search for Band A comparison properties around our postcode. She found a few that are right on the limit in terms of distance. After I got off the phone I found some more in the opposite direction across the border into Notts.
I was told I should expect a call from the officer tomorrow morning so I have armed myself with more evidence and will post again with the results of the chat.

So it all went a little bit quiet on this case so I rang the VOA who informed me that a decision had been made earlier in the week and that our Band had been reduced. Success!
I excitedly informed my neighbour of the news only to be told he already knew. Anyway, he's happy because its £500 off his bill for this year and I just found out we will be getting a cheque for over £1500 as well as a reduction in our charges. Thanks to NKDC for doing the honorable thing and to MSE for the advice.

JasonCooke

Keane16 wrote: »

Hi,

I have a similar issue to JasonCooke.

The flat I own is a warehouse refurb. They went for insane (honestly INSANE) prices in 2007 when they went on sale.

In 2007 the 2 bed flat I live in sold for ~£250,000. This means the '91 value is ~£85,486 placing it in Band D.

I paid £116,000 in Q3 2012 - but as a repossession at an auction it's not a very true reflection on value. A neighbour flat (identical spec, but no allocated parking which is worth £10-15k) was sold in Q3 2011 for £137,500.

The turnover of the flats is very low, so it's hard to accurately gauge what they're worth now. But running various sold prices of flats in my development from Zoopla into the Nationwide House Price Index calc it seems about £150,000 would be a fair amount for my flat today (if I was to sell I'd probably look to market it at this price). It also falls in line with other comparable flats in the area. This adjusts to £56,740 in '91 equalling a Band C property.

I've checked the VOA website and gone through a number of flats - I've found a couple of 2 bed flats which appear to have been rebanded down to a Band C which is a positive sign, but most are still Band D.

What would be the best way to handle this? Start with a call to the VOA? What's my best 'angle', just explain the flat was incorrectly banded in 2007?

Let me know how you get on please. They essentially told me to sod off in the end even though I provided them with proof of 5 apartments of the 13 in my street having sold within the last 4 years for around the £70-80k mark. Way below the £97K needed to be band A.

itooshi-soo

Hi,


I'm new to this so bear with! I recently queried my council tax band (C - when other identical properties in the next road are band . VOA have written back maintaining that my property would have been worth between £52,001 and £68,000 on 1 April 1991. I purchased the property from new in Dec 1993 for £49,950 - is it still worth me pursuing? Maybe house prices took a drop between 1991 - 1993?
However - that does not explain the fact that identical houses are paying less than me at the moment.
Any advice would be gratefully received.


thanks


Sue

lincroft1710

House prices in most areas fell considerably between 1991 and 1993. As your purchase was over 30 months after 1 April 1991, the price could have easily dropped by 25% from that date.

Perhaps the bands in the other street are too low? Ask the VOA why the same house in the next street is in different band.

waffles

I emailed the VOA on March 21 and had no response to my request for my tax band to be looked into. How long do they normally take?

lincroft1710

Waffles, did you receive an acknowledgement?

In any case as it has been 2 months, email them to ask if there has been any progress.

neilwoods

Quick question.

This is a success but only just had the letter today.

In wales, flat was Tax Band B, flat above is Band A, So i called the VOA people, within a week had a visit and measured up, then week later got later today saying now Tax Band A. So brill result. Not a huge saving but, a saving.

Was told i could get refund on the difference going back to 2008.

So question is, will the council automatically adjust the band and issue refund or do I have to chase it.

lincroft1710

neilwoods wrote: »

So question is, will the council automatically adjust the band and issue refund or do I have to chase it.

The VOA alter the band and inform the council of the band alteration. The council will then adjust the payments for the current year and either refund any overpayment since (in your case) 2008 or credit this against this year's outstanding CT balance.

neilwoods

lincroft1710 wrote: »

The VOA alter the band and inform the council of the band alteration. The council will then adjust the payments for the current year and either refund any overpayment since (in your case) 2008 or credit this against this year's outstanding CT balance.

Either way, its a win win. Be good to get outstanding balance paid and some dosh.

Guess they won't be in a hurry, knowing the council.

Jenlimgav

Hello
thank you for the advice on council tax rebanding. I challenged the band I was allocated based on my neighbours' banding. I was successful and lowered to band F. Good news so far. However, a few years ago my husband was made redundant and then I suffered the same fate a year later. Consequently, our council tax was reduced for that period and we started paying the full amount when we found full time employment as is understandable.

The day after I was informed about the decision relating to my revised council tax band, we received a notice form the local council claiming the difference for the amount of the tax reduction between band G and band F for the time that were redundant. I have no qualms with this IF we are also refunded for the disparity between bands G and F in the council paid since we moved into this property in 2002. I have not, as yet, received any notice from the council informing me that they would reimburse this money. I would thus be very grateful if anyone could proffer any advice as to how to actually claim back the amount overpaid or do I have to wait until the council does this of its own bat?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.